CNBC announced this afternoon that Darren Rovell will join CNBC to cover sports business…

Darren Rovell joins CNBC as the network’s Sports Business Reporter, effective July 10, it was announced today by Jonathan Wald, Senior Vice President, Business News, CNBC. In his new role, Rovell will both analyze and report on the sports business world on all of CNBC’s programming including “Squawk Box,” “Power Lunch,” “Closing Bell,” and “On the Money.”

“CNBC recognizes the importance of sports to business and business programming,” Wald said. “Darren’s background and expertise will allow CNBC to take its reporting of sports business to the next level and provide our viewers with the relevant and useful information it needs and deserves.”

Prior to joining CNBC, Rovell served as sports business writer for ESPN.com and reported on the world of agents, stadium deals, endorsements and contracts on ESPN’s flagship, “SportsCenter,” its investigative show, “Outside the Lines,” and its morning show “Cold Pizza.”

During his six-year career at ESPN, Rovell interviewed many of the world’s greatest athletes including Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Lance Armstrong, among others. He also sat down with the sporting world’s top power brokers ranging from NBA commissioner David Stern to Reebok chairman Paul Fireman.

Rovell is also the author of two business books: “First In Thirst: How Gatorade Turned The Science of Sweat Into A Cultural Phenomenon”—named by Soundview Summaries as one of the top 30 business books of the year, and “On the Ball: What You Can Learn About Business From America’s Sports Leaders,” co-written with industry insider David Carter— named to the Top 25 list of “What Corporate America Is Reading” by the Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service in Oct. 2003.

In 2004, Rovell was named to Newsbios’ “30 under 30,” a list of the top 30 national business reporters under the age of 30. He was the first sports reporter in the 17-year history of the awards to be honored.